REPORT: Erie County Community College Plan

Overview

The review of the Erie County Community College is based primarily on the
requirements for a college plan as found in Article XIX-A of the Public School Code.
This report is organized around each of the key elements required by the School Code and
includes a discussion of the evidence provided in the Erie college plan and an analysis of
whether the college plan meets the requirement. It should be noted that the School Code
requires the State Board of Education to determine that the local sponsor meets the first
three elements discussed in this report to approve the college plan.

The County submitted their original college plan to the Board in July 2017. A revision
was submitted in response to an inquiry from the Subcommittee assembled to review the
Erie County Community College plan in early 2018. Also in 2018, a third and final
submission of the plan was provided to PDE in response to a series of inquiries made by
PDE directly to the County. In an effort to maintain clarity throughout this analysis of the
plan, the original submission will be identified as the “College Plan,” the first revision
submitted in response to the Subcommittee letter will be identified as “Revision 1” and
the final response submitted to PDE will be referred to as “Revision 2.”

Required Element A

24 P.S. §19-1902-A(d)
“No plan for the establishment of a community college shall be approved unless
the State Board of Education determines that the local sponsor has a population of
a sufficient number to assure a sustained minimum enrollment…”

Evidence:

Chapter two of the College Plan breaks out the municipalities within Erie County and
identifies the population and age breakdown, population density, trends, and forecast
through 2030 for each area. Chapter three discusses the population of Erie County in
relation to the employment base, gross metro product, and per capita income.

The plan includes a table in chapter two that compares Erie County to the rest of the
nation in terms of educational attainment of its citizens. There is only one category where
Erie surpasses the nation in educational attainment and that is in percentage of residents
whose highest educational achievement is a high school diploma. Additionally,
enrollment projections for the county’s school districts show level enrollment with a
potential for a slight decline over the next 10 years.

Analysis:

The adult population of Erie County in 2016 exceeded the adult populations of Beaver,
Butler, and Cambria Counties which support successful community colleges. The county
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of Northampton has an adult population that is only 12,000 people larger than Erie
County which supports a successful college.

Table 1: Population Comparison to Other

Counties with Community Colleges

County 2016 Community

Estimated College
Adult FTE
Population Enrollment*
(18-65)
Erie 173,887 N/A
Beaver 102,469 1,900
Butler 115,512 3,143
Cambria 83,029 1,526
Northampton 186,424 7,985
*2017-18 Annualized FTE enrollment

There are several other postsecondary options in the county which serve to reduce the
college-going population available for the community college. However, there are still a
significant number of potential students that are not pursuing postsecondary education.
Based on the data presented in the plan, Erie County has a large number of adults and
recent high school graduates who would be potential students for the community college
who are not otherwise being served.

There is no standard method for projecting the enrollment of a new college. The original
community college application guidelines, published in 1965, included three methods for
estimating college enrollment for a new community college. Attachment 1 outlines those
three methods and the outcomes when applied to data for Erie County. The methods
result in varying enrollment numbers between 263 and 3,239 students.

To determine if the estimates outlined in Attachment 1 are valid, it is helpful to compare

the results to the enrollment at community colleges in the counties identified above where
successful community colleges are operational.

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Table 2: Comparison of FTE Projections

to Actual FTE Enrollment at Colleges in
Comparison Counties
County Credit FTE
Enrollment
Erie—Projection 1 1,739 to 2,318
Erie—Projection 2 3,093
Erie—Projection 3 263
Beaver 2,064
Butler 2,639
Cambria 1,484
Northampton 7,558
2015-16 Annualized FTE enrollment

Based on the comparison to other smaller and similarly sized counties with community
colleges, it is reasonable to expect that projection 1 (1,751 FTE to 2,318 FTE) may be a
reasonable estimate for Erie County. However, full-time equivalent enrollments at
existing Pennsylvania community colleges has declined by about 15 percent over the past
five years. This may in part be caused by recovery from the 2008 recession. Community
college enrollment tends to be counter-cyclical to the economy. During times of
economic stress, the opportunity cost of higher education decreases, and students enroll in
community colleges hoping to enhance their job prospects. As the economy improves
individuals who had enrolled will start to move back into the workforce, causing a decline
in student enrollment. Another factor that is impacting enrollment is the declining number
of high school students and graduates. This will be a factor that will influence enrollment
for at least the next decade.

Determination:

The population data and projection of student enrollment in the College Plan and various
revisions provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the Plan meets the Legislative
requirement.

Required Element B

24 P.S. §19-1902-A(d)
“…has sufficient wealth to financially support such college…”

Evidence:

Erie County has stated that the current and projected gaming fund revenue combined with
a pledged $3.7 million donation from the Community Foundation will be sufficient to
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fund the college for the first five years of operation. The College Plan submitted in June
2017, called for the college to receive $2.95 million per year from the existing gaming
revenue. This was scheduled to be increased in 2022 by an additional $1 million.
Revision 1 included a new schedule of estimated revenue and expenditures from the
unrestricted gaming fund. The schedule shows Erie County providing $3,969,250 to the
community college as local share expenditure beginning in 2019. Revision 2 further
refined the local share as shown in the local funding projections table below.

Table 3: County of Erie Local Sponsor Share

(excerpt from Revision 2, page 8)
Expenditure Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Unrestricted
Gaming
- 1,300,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 2,200,000 2,800,000
Funds
Erie
Community
1,476,744 2,113,500 - - 436,200 36,200
Foundation
Community
College Local
Share 1,476,744 3,413,500 3,000,000 3,000,000 2,636,200 2,836,200
(operating)

Revision 2 adjusted the rollout of educational programs across the first five years of
operation. This change caused a decline in the estimated number of students and reduced
the number of full-time faculty needed. These changes reduced the operational costs for
the first five years of the college. Most of the reduction in cost was applied to the
Commonwealth appropriation.

The updated budget provided in Revision 2 calls for $15.7 million of local funding by
year five. The projections call for $11.2 Million in operating funds, $2.3 Million for
capital expenses and reserves $2.25 Million for student scholarships. The scholarships are
more heavily weighted towards the early years of operation when the college will not
have access to federal or state financial aid.

It should also be noted that Revision 1 identified a $10 million line-item in Act 52 of
2017, the Commonwealth Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) as
another source of funding for the college. The County petitioned the Governor for release
of $3.5 million of the funds in 2018. This request is pending and the funding has not been
released.

Analysis:

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The threshold used by PDE in reviewing this section of the college plan is one of
“reasonableness.” The financial projections rely on aspects that are unknown at this time.
It is unknown how many students will enroll, how many faculty the college will require,
how much funding will be available from the Commonwealth, etc. Each of these elements
add a degree of ambiguity to the budget projections submitted in the college plan.
Therefore, it has been PDE’s intent to determine if the college plan has used projections
that are reasonable, given what is known about Erie County and its current finances.

Normally this section of a community college plan analysis would analyze the tax base of
the county in determining the wealth of the local sponsor. In this case, the County has
insisted that the gaming funds plus donations by the Community Foundation will be
enough to sustain the college for the first five years of operation; suggesting that local tax
revenue will not be used to support the college. The funding scenario provided in
Revision 2 enables the college to maintain a positive balance through the first five years
by using the $3.7 Million pledged by the Erie Community Foundation in addition to
funding derived from the gaming funds.

There is concern over whether the exclusive use of gaming fund revenue will limit the
ability of the college to grow over time. Additional concern comes from the method the
County used to estimate their Commonwealth appropriation; both operating and capital.
After PDE provided additional guidance on how community college funding is allocated,
the County updated the Commonwealth contribution in Revision 2 with increases
averaging 5.54% during years two through five and held steady at five percent through
year 10. This is a more reasonable scenario given the current method used in Legislation
for determining community college allocations. However, it is also worth noting that a
typical increase for community colleges has been below five percent over the last several
years.

The State Board Subcommittee asked the County about the large increases in
Commonwealth operating payments and the County claimed that the calculation was
based on an estimated amount per FTE for the first year and then increased by two
percent each year. Community colleges have not been funded strictly on FTE since the
funding formula changed in 2005. In recent years, existing funds have been distributed
based on the distribution in the prior year, while new funds are distributed based on the
share of FTEs served by a college relative to all community college FTEs in the prior
year. It is hard to say how a new community college would fare under this scenario.
While the new college would have a relatively small number of FTEs compared to the
other fourteen colleges, it is likely that it will see growth while many of the other colleges
have seen enrollment stagnate or even decline slightly.

The County believes that an exception would need to be made to allow for the new
community college to be funded in a way that recognizes that the college’s needs will
change as enrollment grows over the first several years of the college’s operation. This is

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a change that would need to be addressed legislatively and is not one that PDE or the
State Board has the authority to grant.

The issue of capital funding is similarly problematic. Colleges do not receive an annual
allocation of capital funds, rather funds are distributed for individual projects that have
been approved for funding. Colleges receive increases based on projects approved in any
given year through an annual capital application process. This makes planning for a new
college with unpredictable needs difficult to project. The update provided in Revision 2
does limit the large increases in capital needs that were seen in earlier versions of the
budget projections.

The County is anticipating $10 Million of funding approved through the RACP process.
While the RACP legislation authorized the funds, it does not guarantee the county will
ever receive them. The Legislature approved the RACP line item in Fall 2017, and it will
remain active for 10 years. The Governor has discretion over whether this funding is
released.

Determination:

The evidence and financial projections provided in Revision 2 of the College Plan are
reasonable and meet the Legislative requirements in regard to financing the college.
Concerns regarding the long-term suitability of using gaming funds as the sole local
support of the community college remains.

Required Element C

24 P.S. §19-1902-A(d)
“…and is not adequately served by established institutions of higher learning.”

Evidence:

Chapter 2 provides an overview of the region’s educational landscape including several

graphs to demonstrate the degree to which the population of Erie lags the rest of the state
and nation in terms of postsecondary degree attainment. A table is also included that
shows the tuition charged by the existing postsecondary institutions in the county.

A more expansive discussion of the current postsecondary and higher education

landscape is included on page 38 of the feasibility study. This section includes a profile of
each postsecondary institution in Erie County outlining the student body and tuition rates.
It also includes the programs of study and degrees offered by each institution.

The Subcommittee requested the County provide additional information on the programs
the proposed college plans to offer, the offerings of the other postsecondary institutions in
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the County, a discussion of any overlaps, and additional information about the Northwest
Pennsylvania Regional College1 (NPRC). The County’s response included a short
narrative response to each of the Subcommittee’s questions but also included a table in
exhibit G to further demonstrate the programming that is currently available. The
response also contained exhibit H, a document provided by the NPRC that discusses the
college’s Erie operations and included a table of the academic and workforce programs
that would be implemented over the next several years.

Analysis:

In analyzing whether Erie County is adequately served by existing institutions of higher

education, it is important to not just focus on the presence of other institutions but also
their cost, admissions standards, and available programs of study. The State Board has a
policy regarding duplication of educational opportunities within a region which also
impacts this analysis.

When looking at the educational attainment of its residents, Erie County is significantly
above the national average in high school completion but lags the nation in every other
attainment measure from ‘some college, no degree” to “graduate degree.” This finding
suggests that existing institutions are not adequately serving the needs of the County.

In general, a community college serves a different target audience than the colleges and
universities that currently serve the region. Gannon, Mercyhurst and Penn State Behrend
are largely importers of students to Erie County. Their tuition rates put them out of reach
of most of the students who would be drawn to the community college. They are also not
open access institutions, meaning that they do not admit all students who apply.
Community colleges are open access and admit all students regardless of previous
academic achievement.

Edinboro University is the only regionally accredited institution currently serving Erie
County that has tuition that is low enough to be considered by many of the currently
unserved students in Erie County. However, Edinboro is located in the southern portion
of the county, which may serve to limit the number of students from Erie city and the
rural parts of the county who are able to commute to Edinboro. Like the other universities
in Erie Count, Edinboro is also not an open access institution. Edinboro has operated the
Porreco Campus, which is closer to the city, over the last several years but will be
phasing out its open access associate degree programs that were offered at the campus.

The proposed Erie County Community College is projected to have a tuition and fees of
$125 per credit. In addition to tuition, the college plans to charge fees of approximately
$22 per credit. A full-time student taking 15 credits per semester can expect to pay
approximately $3,528 in tuition and fees for one year (fall and spring). Tuition for the

1 Previously known as the Rural Regional College of Northern PA

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existing Erie County institutions varies from a low of $9,536 at Edinboro to $33,314 at
Mercyhurst.

The college plan identifies four private licensed schools (PLS), schools that offer
technical career training, in Erie County. The PLS institutions largely serve the same
population but due to cost, there is a significant portion of the underrepresented
population not being served. The four PLS schools have costs that vary by program, from
a low of $21,944 to $36,400 for an Associate of Specialized Technology or Business
degree. These institutions primarily focus on preparing students for direct entry to
careers, and do not provide the transfer function that a comprehensive community college
is able to provide. Since the technical schools are not regionally accredited, students are
limited in the ability to transfer on to further their education. Fortis Institute and Triangle
Tech have recently announced planned closures.

In light of the State Board’s policy on program duplication, PDE attempted to review the
proposed degree programs of the college plan and compare them to the programs already
being offered in the county. Potential duplication was difficult to determine using the
information provided in the college plan due to the way the information was provided. As
an alternative, PDE relied on information submitted by the existing institutions to the
Department’s Annual Survey of Educational Programs. This is not a perfect solution due
to the lack of common naming conventions between programs that make it difficult to
determine if programs are truly equivalent (ie. Criminal Justice, Police Science, Justice
Systems). Based on this analysis, the only institution that does not appear to have overlap
with programs to be offered by the community college is the Erie branch of Triangle
Tech. Each of the other institutions appear to have at least some overlap with the
proposed majors to be offered by the proposed community college. The table in
Attachment 2 provides a listing of the areas of overlap between the institutions.

This discussion has not focused on the NPRC which for the last three years has been
offering academic programs in conjunction with Gannon University. For the first two
years they offered Associate degrees in Business Administration and Interdisciplinary
Studies. Last year they began offering Criminal Justice and Early Childhood Education
at the Associate degree level. These programs are being offered across the college’s nine-
county region. Beginning with the Spring semester, 2020, the college will be ending their
contract with Gannon and begin offering the programs on their own. With a tuition rate of
$180 per credit with fees of $18 per credit, the NPRC has a tuition that is more affordable
than any of the current options in Erie County. This would result in tuition and fees for a
full-time student taking 30 credits of $5,600.

The NPRC is not currently independency accredited by Middle States or any other
accreditor. The current programs being offered in conjunction with Gannon are covered
under the partner’s accreditation. The college will be seeking accreditation once they
begin offering their own programs independent of Gannon.

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One additional note of comparison may be instructive when looking at Erie County from
the standpoint of “unmet educational need.” A comparison may be made to Northampton
County which is similar in size to Erie County, exceeding its adult population by only
12,000 adults. Northampton Community College (NCC) enrolled 7,450 credit FTEs in
2017-18. Approximately 77% of NCC’s credit students are from the sponsoring area of
the college, meaning the students are residents of eight sponsoring school districts in
Northampton County. Therefore, Northampton County supports a Credit-FTE enrollment
at NCC of approximately 5,736 FTE students. Northampton County is located in the
Lehigh Valley, which is home to more than 20 postsecondary education providers;
including Lehigh Carbon Community College which is approximately 20 miles away in
neighboring Lehigh County. Even with the large number of other institutions in the
surrounding region, NCC is able to enroll a significant share of the local population.

Determination:

While there are a number of postsecondary institutions in Erie County, there continues to
be unmet educational need. Based on PDE’s review of enrollment rates and a comparison
of tuition at the existing institutions within Erie County, our determination is that the area
is not adequately served by established institutions of higher education.

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Additional Plan Requirements

Legislation requires that the college plan contain certain elements in order to be approved
by the Board. There is, however, no requirement for the State Board to provide any type
of value judgement on the adequacy or reasonableness of the following elements. In an
effort to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the plan as required by law, we have
included the table below outlining each of the additional elements required for the plan.

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Table 4: Additional Plan Requiremnts

Evidence:
The plan and revisions include detailed budgets for the first
five years including operating expenses in each of the
required categories. The estimates for operating are based on
500 projected FTEs in the first year. This estimate drives
assumptions regarding facility utilization as well as
requirements for faculty and staff to operate the college.
The budget is separated into a start-up period and operational
24 P.S. §19-1902-A(d)
period.
“No plan for the establishment of
a community college shall be
The start-up period, or “pre-year one,” includes all activities
approved unless it contains an
that must be accomplished from the point in time that the
estimate of operating cost for
State Board approves the college plan until students walk into
administration, instruction,
the building on the first day of class. This would include
operation and maintenance and
hiring of a president and other administrative staff,
such other accounts as the State
identifying and leasing facilities, recruiting and hiring faculty,
Board of Education may, from
developing curriculum, and outfitting facilities with
time to time, determine.”
equipment and preparing classrooms. The operating costs
and budget for this period is heavily dependent on the
number of students who enroll at the college.
Analysis:
The plan meets the requirements of 24 P.S. §19-1902-A(d).
The estimates provided in the college plan are based on the
assumptions made regarding the number of students that are
anticipated to enroll over the first five years of operation.
Evidence:
The plan and revisions include a plan of capital expenditures
24 P.S. §19-1902-A(d)
for the next 10 years. A table is included listing the dollar
“No plan for the establishment of
amounts that will be used in each area (administration,
a community college shall be
classrooms, labs, etc.).
approved unless it contains an
Analysis:
estimate of any proposed capital
The plan meets the legislative requirements. The concern
improvements for the next
remains that the availability of Commonwealth funds to meet
following ten years.”
the 10-year capital needs on the timeline needed by the
college.

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24 P.S. §19-1903-A(a)“A
proposed community college
plan shall be submitted by the
local sponsor in such form and
containing such information as
the State Board of Education
may require.”
24 P.S. §19-1903-A(a)
“The plan shall designate the
name of the proposed
community college which shall
be the "Community College of
............................." or
"...................................
Technical Institute," stating the
name of the local sponsor or
area of such community
college.”
24 P.S. §19-1903-A(a)
“If there are two or more
members of the local sponsor,
the plan shall include
provisions allocating financial
responsibility for the
community college among the
members of the local sponsor
subject to the policies,
standards, rules and regulations
of the State Board of
Education.”
October 28, 2019
Evidence:
Erie County, serving as the local sponsor of the proposed
community college, submitted the community college plan
to the State Board of Education on June 30, 2017. A
resolution of sponsorship approved by County Council was
included in the application packet. The resolution was
approved on June 27, 2017.
Analysis:
Erie County meets the legislative requirement for a local
sponsor and complied with the legislative requirement for
submitting the college plan to the Board.
Evidence:
The title page of the community college plan designates the
name of the community college as “Erie County
Community College”
Analysis:
Based on the legislation, the name of the college should be
“Community College of Erie County.” However, since the
original community college legislation was passed in 1963
there have been a total of 16 institutions approved and only
four have used the construct supplied in the legislation. All
the approved names, however, have complied with the
second part of this subsection and stated the name of the
local sponsor or area of the college. The name of the
proposed college is consistent with the naming convention
of other community colleges previously approved by the
Board.
Evidence:
Erie County is the sole local sponsor of the proposed
college.
Analysis:
This section is not applicable as Erie County is the sole
local sponsor of the proposed college.
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24 P.S. §19-1903-A(b)
“The community college plan,
when submitted by the local
sponsor, shall first be approved
by the governing body of each
member of the local sponsor and
shall be submitted by them
jointly in all counties.”
24 P.S. §19-1913-A(a)
“The plan submitted by the local
sponsor shall set forth a financial
program for the operation of the
community college.”
24 P.S. §19-1913-A(a)
“The plan shall provide that the
local sponsor shall appropriate or
provide to the community
college an amount at least equal
to the community college's
annual operating costs less the
student tuition as determined in
section 1908-A(a) less the
Commonwealth's payment as
determined in subsection (b)(1)
of this section.”
October 28, 2019
Evidence:
By resolution dated June 27, 2017, Erie County, in its role as
local sponsor of the proposed community college, approved
the community college plan and submitted the plan to the
State Board of Education.
Analysis:
The college plan meets the legislative requirements.
Evidence:
The plan contains an estimate of revenues and expenses for
the start-up year as well as for the first five-full years of
operation following the admission of students.
Analysis:
The college plan meets the legislative requirements.
Evidence:
The local sponsor is providing funding to the college from
funds legislatively reserved for the County by Act 42 of
2017. Erie County is guaranteed a minimum of $5.5 million
per year in unrestricted funds from the gaming revenues of
Presque Isle Downs Casino.
Analysis:
The plan and the county’s response states that the gaming
revenue and pledged funding from the Community
Foundation and other philanthropy will be sufficient to meet
the college’s revenue needs for the first five years. This is
not the same as saying that the sponsor will “provide to the
college an amount at least equal to the community college’s
annual operating costs less the student tuition as determined
in section 1908-A(a) less the Commonwealth’s payment…”.
Given the fact that, as discussed above, the tuition and
Commonwealth appropriation may not meet revenue targets,
the sufficiency of the local sponsor funding, and the
commitment to that funding, is even more important. Any
shortfall in the projected amount of Commonwealth
contribution would have to be made up by the local sponsor.
The County should consider developing contingency plans
for funding the college if the tuition and Commonwealth
revenue targets are not met.
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24 P.S. §19-1913-A(a)
“The plan shall also provide
that one-half of the annual
capital expenses shall be
appropriated or provided by the
local sponsor to the community
college.”
24 P.S. §19-1913-A(a)
“The local sponsor's
appropriation for annual
operating costs and annual
capital expenses may in part be
represented by real or personal
property or services made
available to the community
college.”
24 P.S. §19-1913-A(a)
“The plan shall indicate
whether the appropriation shall
come from general revenues,
loan funds, special tax levies or
from other sources, including
student tuitions.”
October 28, 2019
Evidence:
The plan and revisions provide funding levels for various
capital line items (Administration, Classrooms, Labs, etc.).
Analysis:
The college plan meets the legislative requirements. Based
on the financial projections, it appears the County will be
able to fund the local capital share from their available
funding. Erie’s estimates appear to be reasonable. The
college may need develop contingency plans and explore
the use of leased or donated space, in the event that capital
funding from the Commonwealth is not available on the
timeline envisioned in the plan.
Evidence:
The County’s response (page 21) states that while there will
likely be some “in-kind” contributions in the form of
facilities and equipment available to the college, the
financial projections did not include the value of the
contributions in the estimates.
Analysis:
The college plan meets the legislative requirements. To the
extent that any in-kind contributions are made of “real or
personal property,” the sponsor’s expected share will be
reduced. Due to the unpredictability of capital funding, it
may require the college to seek out such in-kind
contributions of property and equipment.
Evidence:
The plan specifies on page 49 that the County will rely
upon “other sources” as allowed for by statute. Elsewhere
in the plan, and in the County’s response, it is explained
that the funds will come from the County’s local share
assessment of gaming revenue.
Analysis:
The college plan meets the legislative requirements.
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Attachment 1

Potential Student Enrollment

The 1965 document “Guidelines for the Establishment of Public Community

Colleges in Pennsylvania” drafted by the Department, includes three methods
that were in use at the time to project enrollment at a proposed community
college. Below is a description of the three methods and the numbers of students
for the proposed Erie County Community College projected by employing each
method. It should be noted that these calculations should not be interpreted to
estimate a beginning enrollment for the college. These are enrollment levels that
the college would expect to reach over time.

1. One community college student for each 75-100 persons in the general
population within a 30-mile radius. Please note that since the application did
not identify a location for a main campus or locations for the various learning
centers, the population for the entire county was used. Depending on the
location of a main campus, the 30-mile radius could include parts of Ohio or
New York. While this may slightly skew the potential enrollment projection it
simplifies the calculation and is still useful as a general guideline. Since the
college will be sponsored by the County, all county residents will be
considered to be in the college’s service area. (two different calculations were
performed, one with one student for each 75 persons, and one using 100
persons)

One CC student for each 75-100

1 Population 18-
64 (est. 2016)
persons
County 75 persons 100 Persons
Erie 173,887 2,318 1,739

Note: Data is based on county profiles reported by the Center for Rural PA.
(http://www.rural.palegislature.us/county_profiles.cfm)

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2. One community college student for every three high school students enrolled
in grades 10-12.

2 Students
grade 10-12
One enrollment for
every three
County (2018-19) students enrolled
grades 10-12
(2018-19)
Erie 9,279 3,093

Note: Data is based on PDE enrollment projections and reports.

(http://www.education.pa.gov/Data-and-
Statistics/Pages/Enrollment%20Reports%20and%20Projections.aspx)

3. Thirty percent of the total number of high school graduates during the
preceding year within the area to be served reduced by the number of high
school graduates normally going to other institutions of higher education.

2015-16 Average Estimated Anticipated

3 High
School
number of
grads
Graduates
not going
yield of
Students
Graduates going on to other (30%)
to HE HE
County
(excl. CC)
Erie 1,886 1,009 877 263

NOTE: Data in this table are based on National Student Clearinghouse college-
going rate data.

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 REPORT: Erie County Community College Plan

Attachment 2

This table represents the area of program overlap between the proposed Community
College of Erie County and existing postsecondary institutions in the County.

Edinboro University

Institute of Medical
Gannon University

Regional College
HVA Educenter
Fortis Institute2

Mercyhurst NE

Triangle Tech3
Northwest PA

PSU Behrend
Erie Institute

and Business

Mercyhurst/
Great Lakes
Institute
PROGRAM NAME
Year One
Accounting D
English/Communications (AA)
Humanities (AA)
Sociology (AA)
Political Science (AA)
Psychology (AA)
Art/Music (AA)
Computer Science (AA)
Business (AA) AS AS AS AS AS AS
Agriculture (AA)
Chemistry (AS)
Mathematics (AS)
Biological Sciences (AS) AS
Engineering (AS)
Human/Public Service (AS)
Environmental Science (AS)
Automation Engineering Tech
(AAS)
CAD, Machining and
Manufacturing (AAS) AS
Management, Information
Services (AAS)
Management and
Entrepreneurship (AAS)
Network Systems (AAS) AST
Surgical Technology (AAS) D/AST
Medical Assisting (AAS) D AST C

2 Fortis Institute has announced a closing date of March 2019

3 Triangle Tech in Erie has announced a pending closure.
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 REPORT: Erie County Community College Plan

Mercyhurst/ Mercyhurst NE
Institute of Medical and

Northwest PA Regional
Great Lakes Institute
Edinboro University

Gannon University

HVA Educenter
Fortis Institute4

Triangle Tech5
PSU Behrend
Erie Institute

Business

College
PROGRAM NAME
Year One (cont.)
Welding (AAS) D D

Year Two
No new programs

Year Three
Electrical Engineering
Technologies (AAS) AS
Nursing (AAS) AS
Tourism/Hospitality (AAS) AS
Human Services (AAS)
Public Safety (AAS) AS AS AS AS
Software and Mobile App
(AAS)

Year Four
Computer Security (AAS)
Interactive Digital Media (AAS)
Human Services (AAS) AS
Digital Arts (AAS)
Medical Coding: Physician
Office (AAS) D D D
Environmental Technology
(AAS)
Counseling (AAS)
Sports and Fitness management
(AAS)

4 Fortis Institute has announced a closing date of March 2019

5 Triangle Tech in Erie has announced a pending closure.
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 REPORT: Erie County Community College Plan

Mercyhurst/ Mercyhurst NE
Institute of Medical and

Northwest PA Regional
Great Lakes Institute
Edinboro University

Gannon University

HVA Educenter
Fortis Institute6

Triangle Tech7
PSU Behrend
Erie Institute

Business

College
PROGRAM NAME
Year Five
Industrial Maintenance (AAS) D
Quality Assurance Specialist
(AAS)
Hardware Maintenance and
Information System (AAS)
Web Development (AAS) AST
Logistics (AAS)
Journalism and Communications
(AAS)
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
(AAS) D/AST
Sustainable Agriculture (AAS)
Public Administration (AAS)

6 Fortis Institute has announced a closing date of March 2019

7 Triangle Tech in Erie has announced a pending closure.
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